Vlad Lied
by TheColorsofSand
Summary: Dan is loose, but Danny just can't seem to find him. With an even greater threat looming on the horizon, Danny's getting desperate. He's at a loss, and at a disadvantage because he never stopped to consider that perhaps Vlad Lied.
1. Outside of Time

Disclaimer: Fan-based material; no ownership implied

Vlad Lied

TheColorsofSand

_You always were smarter than I gave you credit for._

Chp 1: Outside of time

Daniel James Fenton was getting used to the idea of 'laying low'. It wasn't his first choice, but upon his escape he realized his first choice had gone out the window more than a year ago. Or maybe that was nine years ago, or it could be eleven years to come… he suddenly regretted not taking more math classes as a youth. However many years ago (or to come) he realized with a crushing blow that he was not going to get what he wanted. His life as he knew it was no longer a possibility.

So he ground his teeth just a little bit, and he set about doing what came disturbingly natural to him; he subsisted. He squashed the part of his brain and his black, black heart that wanted revenge for his defeat and subsequent imprisonment and with a shudder in his cold soul _moved on_.

Honestly, he should have been less content with hiding, and more content at the thought of strangling the younger, more irritating version of himself until he was Phantom full-time. He also shouldn't have been able to hide as he was hiding, or even thinking of himself by his proper, given name.

He had the sneaking suspicion Clockwork had something to do with all of this; and therefore, there was virtually nothing that he could do about it.

"It's Dan, right?" A young woman asked. She paced briskly after him, attempting to match his long stride across the campus brick-work sidewalk. Her long brown hair hung in a flawless ponytail down her back, her short- shorts in the hot afternoon teased passers-by. She flashed him a winning smile. Her tanned skin was uniformly glowing in all the places that showed. She was no more than twenty. Dan had always had a 'thing' for brunettes. He instantly hated everything about her. He took a moment to school his face into an expressionless mask and imagine what an irritating, pretentious, agonizing bitch she would certainly turn out to be.

"That's right." He said, slowing to a stop. Her smile brightened and she held out a hand.

"I'm Katrina." She said. He shook her hand, a little reluctantly; her grip was firm and confident. "We're in that new class together."

"That's right." He said again slowly. She was smiling and looking him up and down covertly, and Dan realized with a frown that she was _checking him out_.

"Well since we're going to be spending the quarter together I thought we should get to know each other. Mind if I walk with you?" He shrugged and continued on his way, the girl following closely.

"So, what do you like to read?" She asked. Dan shrugged again.

"I don't usually." He replied shortly. His legs were long, but the young woman was quite athletic, and she matched his stride despite being considerably shorter than himself.

"I always loved philosophy, can't get enough of it. What's your major?" He shrugged again, already approaching the end of his tolerance for human interaction. "Oh, one of those artsy-types; going back to school trying to find yourself?" She said.

"Nope." He said with a sigh, trying to hide a growl. She filled the silence with constant words until they had passed from one side of the campus to the other. Dan kept his hands inside his pockets clenched into fists. Finally, blissfully, she backed off when he showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. She made some excuse, waved a polite good bye and walked off looking rather proud of herself.

If he were a normal man, a normal _human_, he may have walked away with the same feeling. But he was not. The human visage he wore was a fabrication, left from what few fibers of humanity had not been shredded away over the years. Though it was a painful learning curve, he learned to cultivate it until he could change his attributes just as he had when he was young.

His escape from that ridiculous Fenton Thermos, Clockwork's tower, and then the ghost zone took enough out of him that he had no desire to encounter his younger self anytime soon, and parading around in the form that said younger self had come to recognize and despise was asking for more trouble than he was willing to deal with at the time. It took him nearly six days to get it right, and another three before he was confident he wasn't going to ruin everything the moment he got startled or angry. It was one thing to imitate a form he knew well for 24 hours; another to fabricate a new visage and hold it for weeks at a time.

Dan had been a bit startled to see the world in the years after the accident in his own past. By his own timeline he should be in Wisconsin with his dear old 'mentor' verbally clobbering frustrated grief counselors. In a month or two he would be at the end of his proverbial rope. The rest, as they say, is history.

Except it wasn't.

Right now Daniel Fenton- the present Daniel Fenton- was still in Amity Park, keeping an eye on the hometown. When he was sure the young Phantom was well occupied elsewhere, he paid an invisible visit to 'good ole Amity Park' just to check up on the way things were progressing. The town looked very much as he remembered leaving it the first time, with at least one more building in tact than he remembered. He learned his 'sister' Jazz still returned on weekends and holidays, already well into her coursework. Jack and Maddie Fenton were alive and well, a few more patents under their belt padding their bank account. He was most surprised at the new addition to the family; a young girl they called 'Catherine'. Dan had never imagined a younger sister may have been in the works.

As far as he could tell his two 'friends' were also well, still following his younger form on his exploits and getting more resilient. Time had official diverged from his own memory, launching him into unknown territory. He had once entertained the idea of getting back to 'his own' time, but that course had long been deleted.

He was stranded in enemy territory.

And he was angry.

The Fenton's weren't the only past reminders he went to check up on. His old mentor/archenemy was another personality he wasn't too keen on encountering just yet. So he took a short trip to the badger state to sneak a peek. Only Vlad wasn't in Wisconsin. Oh no- he was right back where it all began as the beloved mayor of Amity Park. And he'd been busy. Plasmius had his finger right on the pulse of the Fenton's and was using his considerable wealth and power to keep Phantom at arm's length of his various schemes.

Until the day came that he needed him, they hadn't been friendly, himself and Vlad. But when the cause was mutually beneficial; they were able to work together. Had Dan been feeling himself Plasmius' resources and irritating tendencies would be the first thing he would set out to eliminate. As the biggest threat, he had to go. No doubt little Danny would have thought of that. If all that money and obsessive one-track mind could be turned to looking for him- hiding could get complicated. So he took steps to keep the element of surprise, should he need it.

Flying was so much faster than walking, and considerably easier. His 'human' form allowed him to blend in well with the current population, and avoid unwanted attention. But it wasn't natural, and it wasn't really _human_. The human part of him was... well, _gone_ in any case. However, he discovered over the years that a few shreds of human consciousness still clung to him even after that unsavory part of him had been discarded. It was not enough to get him through a ghost shield, which infuriated him to no end, but it was enough to imitate his younger visage when they encountered one another that fateful day. He used it now to give himself a more age appropriate look. It was enough to fool normal humans, so long as his younger half and Plasmius stayed far enough away and he kept a vigilant eye, he was just another face in the crowd. Unfortunately that face took considerable energy to gain and once he changed back, to gain again. So even though taking invisibly to the sky was awfully tempting, he walked.

He turned down the hill when the sensation struck him again. Like his ghost sense, which did not go off, he felt it crawl up his spine and through his chest like a flash of frost. The paranoid sensation of being watched hit him between the shoulder blades hard enough he turned suddenly to survey his surroundings. The desire to change back and take to the sky to see his environment better washed over him. He squashed it with great effort- he was _hiding_. Anger followed the sensation immediately afterwards. Nothing he'd encountered in the last decade caused him this kind of fear, this kind of paranoia. The rage threatened to boil over; he would not allow this thing to dictate any longer _what_ he did and _how_ he did it. He stamped down on that rage before it destroyed his visage.

Something was wrong. His hair tried to stand on end, and nausea rose in his gut. Something was very wrong. He sucked in a calming breath and forced himself to turn around and start down the hill. The sensation faded a few minutes later, leaving him worse for the wear. The feeling of being watched had begun almost immediately after his escape. At first he thought it was Clockwork, closing the distance. But he wasn't afraid of Clockwork. He was afraid of this thing. Dan went straight for Amity Park after his escape and the fight with the Master of Time, with every intention of bringing his unique brand of chaos back to his hometown. There were a lot of people he felt like _visiting_. He opened a portal out of the ghost zone and it practically whacked him in the back of the head, that sensation. He'd fled without thinking, a reaction attesting to how long he'd been inactive in that stupid thermos. In his ghost form he could feel it descend on him, like he was putting out a beacon. For the first time in a very long time, the rage took a back seat. Until he could maintain a form that fooled that ever-open eye, he moved whenever it found him again. He no longer felt it zeroing in on him. Dan had the feeling that as long as he stayed hidden- he stayed safe. So even though he'd every intention of getting his in when he could, he couldn't afford to operate openly.

He continued down the hill watching the passing traffic; compact cars with single passengers, minivans full of screaming children, city buses full of college students. He passed a gay couple coming up the hill. The man closest to him waved as they passed. He ignored them solidly. No running and ducking, no screeching of brakes or the firing of weapons as he went by. For the past month he'd been living in an apartment, he went out of his way to get a job. The other day he walked to a grocery store to buy paper towels and the sickening normalcy of his current lifestyle made him physically gag.

Honestly, he missed the screaming.

The fear that he so loathed seemed unwilling to drain from him; and it only renewed the rage that got him through his day to day life. It was humiliating, hiding among the throngs at a university just to subsist. He resolved again that he would not be put off from his goal- he would regain the fear of every eye that fell upon him, including the watcher that seemed to harass him with his gaze. He would gain an even greater power and strike fear into _that_ heart. He just needed some time to return to his full power.

And therein lay the problem.


	2. Meanwhile in Amity Park

_You guys look lost; any chance of you staying that way?_

Chapter 2: Meanwhile, in Amity Park…

Daniel James Fenton was getting used to the idea of being a big brother. He'd got the diaper changing thing (still gross), the waking at all hours of the night to someone screaming (not always his little sister), and even the babysitting on busy weekends all down to an art form. Where his mother got the guts to have a child at forty-one he didn't know, and probably didn't want to, but he really did love his little sister. Even the fluids she spewed on a regular basis were sort of endearing. The part of him that was Phantom, however, found the novelty wearing thin. After all what do you do when you're alone with a baby and your ghost sense goes off?

Baby Catherine smiled wide and spit a little at her big brother. Danny couldn't help but smile back at her. He didn't have to hide his ghost sense from her, at least not yet, and she found the plume of frost so amusing that Danny had even learned to do it at will just to entertain her. He had a job to do, one even more important than the box ghost or Skulker or whoever was running around, but that didn't mean he didn't feel horribly guilty leaving that call unanswered.

What if it was _him_?

The thought left him cold for a moment; he couldn't risk not being sure, not now that he was out there somewhere. He fished his phone out of his pocket letting little Cat wander around on the carpet. He followed her dutifully as he tapped in numbers, discouraging her from putting things she found in the carpet in her mouth with a little toe-tap on her diaper. She gurgled and crawled on, stopping to investigate each toy and dust bunny in arm's reach. Danny bounced nervously from one foot to the other as he waited for his call to pick up. When the familiar voice answered he felt another twinge of guilt. This was the second time this week, and it was only Tuesday.

"Hey Sam, I uh... have the baby here with me and..."

"Let me guess, you suddenly have something more pressing to do than babysit?" Danny cringed.

"I'm sorry, I just... I mean we've got to know. If it's him Sam, I have to be there and I need to know Cat's with someone who's going to take care of her." There was a sigh through the phone, but he could tell by now when she was smiling and when she was frowning.

"Alright, bring her over. I'll keep her in the basement with me until you get back. Just make sure you come _right_ back, okay? My parents almost caught her the last time, and that is not something I want to have to explain to them."

"Sure thing. And Sam, I really do appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll see you in the basement in a few minutes." Danny pocketed his phone and scooped up his sister in his arms. She squealed with delight when he tossed her up in the air and caught her. He changed forms with Cat giggling in his hands, and invisibly and intangibly headed for Sam's house.

Cat was starting to get used to being flown around. Danny accepted that once she started talking, it would have to stop, but he enjoyed being free to share this part of his life with his sister. He kept the going slow, and relatively low to the ground just in case, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't have way too much fun making his baby sister laugh. Turns out the year-old Cat was a bit of an adrenaline junkie. He took a few dives at low speed just to make her squeal as he approached Sam's home. The massive house was ideal for hiding a toddler that wasn't supposed to be there; at one end you couldn't hear a rock concert going on at the other. Several times now he and his friends had made use of that particular quality. He was especially grateful for it now that his parents were 'taking more time for themselves' and leaving him at home with the _other_ youngest.

Sam was already waiting for them in her home theater basement, where they had stashed an old diaper-bag full of Cat's things for situations just like this one. Despite the trepidation Danny heard over the phone Sam smiled at the little girl, who had a wide smile for her in return.

"She's not going to puke all over me from airsickness is she?" She asked, holding her arms out for the baby. Danny carefully handed her off.

"She's not airsick, but I can't guarantee she won't puke all over you anyway." He waved at his sister, who didn't quite understand the whole concept of 'waving' just yet. "Thanks again Sam, hopefully I'll be back in just a few minutes." The 'but if' lingered in the air, and they both knew what it was he feared encountering the most.

"Okay, if it turns out... _badly_, just, you know, let us know. We'll take care of things on this end." Danny nodded silently. The tension had become so tangible since they'd heard the news; they'd come up with a way to sound the alarm at a moment's notice.

"...han-um...?" Cat mumbled, reaching out for Phantom's jumpsuit, which she seemed to enjoy the feel of. He pat her on the head, and smiled at Sam's shocked expression.

"Jazz is trying to teach her the difference between 'Danny' and 'Phantom'. She can't say 'Danny' yet, but she keeps trying 'Phantom'."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Sam asked. Danny shrugged.

"No, but you know once Jazz has an idea she'd not going to let it go. I'll be back soon."

"Be careful." He kissed her briefly and flew away. Cat giggled, and Sam bounced the girl in her arms.

"Please let it be anyone else but him." She said quietly.

It wasn't Dan. It wasn't even really a fight, just little Cujo wandering around the local dog park. He had little trouble coaxing him into the thermos and sending him back to the ghost zone. Every time he went out to fight, the possibility that it may be Dan was nerve-wracking to the point of being paralyzing. _He_ was out there somewhere. But there had been no attempts on his life or the lives of his family or friends, and though Clockwork had been quick to inform him that he had escaped, he couldn't seem to help them find him. Fearing the worst, he even took the precaution of going to Vlad.

Master's hadn't been easy to persuade, but after a lengthy story and a few unsavory details he agreed to help in the search. Unfortunately, he had turned up absolutely nothing. Danny canvassed the ghost zone, and discovered that the legend of 'The Other Phantom' was already circulating. With no way to track him, and no more clues, they were forced to wait. He insisted on knowing where his family was at all times, Sam and Tucker checked in with him close to every hour or so. The nightmares had returned in full force, and honestly, he was _exhausted_.

With Cujo safely out of the way he turned back to Sam's house. A feeling of horrid, unbearable dread crawled up his spine. Startled by the feeling he put on a burst of speed and barreled invisibly into Sam's home, changing back the moment his feet were close enough to the ground. His sudden appearance startled both Sam and the baby, and the sudden crippling paranoia descended.

"Danny what was that about?" Sam shouted. He shushed her quickly, grabbing the girl and his girlfriend close, as though he may have to fly away with them at any moment. Catherine tight in his arms, Sam put her arms around his neck in case he did just that. Danny stood stiff, looking up through the ceiling as though the looming dread was passing on the floor above them. Silently panicking Sam clung hard to him and got ready for action. Two or three long minutes passed tensely until Danny let out a long breath of relief and relaxed.

"It's okay, it's gone." He said. Sam let out her own breath and relaxed as well. Ever since Dan escaped, Danny had been feeling the eerie sensation of eyes on him. He was convinced it was his older self, but Sam wasn't so sure. Dan haunted her nightmares as well, but he wasn't so subtle. And subtle was more deadly than Dan's particular brand of terror. The sensation left Danny paranoid and overly tired.

"I'd better get back home with her. Do me a favor and call Tucker for me?" Sam nodded with a soft smile. The stress was chewing him up and getting ready to spit him out. Danny changed back, to Cat's delight.

"Han-om!" Sam grabbed him and hugged him strongly before he had the chance to fly off.

"We're all still here, Danny. You're still stronger, and you aren't going to have to face him alone." He held her close for a moment before his sister started to squirm. "You'd better take off. I'll call Tuck and Jazz for you and let you know what's going on. Let me know how your parents are."

"Thank you Sam."

Cat laughed the whole way home, pointing at every building and making her question noise at each of them. He took a leisurely route and gave her the name of every building and street as they went overhead. He really was going to miss that when it came time to give it up. The recent change of events was triggering some second thoughts. At first he kept his secret just because it would be easier on him, then because he didn't really want the attention. Recently, because he was no longer so sure his family would be too happy about the news. But now... he was suddenly afraid he couldn't keep them safe. To not even tell his parents what could be coming seemed underhanded. He wanted to tell them, he really always had, the 'what ifs' just got in the way.

What if they hated him? What if they tried to help and got hurt? What if they were afraid of him? What if they thought he was a freak? What if they left him?

They landed in the living room, Danny becoming human again with a flash of light. Catherine looked a little disappointed to see her favorite ghost replaced with her boring older brother. He set her down on her little blanket on the floor and pulled out his phone again, dialing a familiar number.

"Hey Sweetie." His mother answered, and he could hear the screeching and muttering in the background that indicated his father was driving.

"Hey Mom. Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay."

"You're father and I are just fine. We'll be home in a few minutes. Are you alright Danny? You've been so jumpy lately." Danny sighed with a bit of relief.

"I'm fine, I guess watching the baby just makes me nervous."

"Well we'll be back in a little bit, your father and I are bringing dinner home. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

"Thanks Mom." With a heavy breath Danny put the phone back in his pocket and sat down heavily beside his little sister, who held out an empty Tupperware container to him. He took it from her and opened it, which fascinated her, then handed the two parts back.

"Why do we bother to buy actual baby toys when all you want is weaponry you're not supposed to have, and empty Tupperware?" Cat gave him a convincing looking shrug and threw both the lid and the container over her head.

He had to find Dan. It wasn't optional. He absolutely had to find him. Catherine was too important to risk, his mom, dad, and sister, Sam and Tucker, they were all too important to risk on the chance that he'd just disappear. The abject horror he felt in the moment before Clockwork had come to set it right at last, he knew without a doubt in that moment that he was perfectly capable of everything he'd seen in that horrible future world. He was capable of murdering and destroying indiscriminately. He was capable of turning that guilt into rage, of burning, and razing, and terrifying.

What would he do? If it were him that escaped from imprisonment, fought with Clockwork and held his own well enough to get away? Where would he go if he were so angry and frustrated? Danny watched his little baby sister pull up the edge of her floor blanket and look beneath with absolute wonder. Weak from the fight with Clockwork, and Clockwork mentioned he had injured him, would he run off pell-mell to face the one person who was capable of putting him right back where he came from? No- Danny knew he wouldn't do that. Not when the only thing at stake was revenge. He would wait. He would hide, blend in with his surroundings for a while until he was up to par again, maybe even more powerful. Dan was a lot of things, but he wasn't stupid. He knew what to do when his own timeline was jeopardized, and he did it without causing undue damage. He had the opportunity to splatter Valerie across the side of a building as he had obviously wanted to, but when confronted with his younger self he moved to solve the problem first, rather than devoting all his attention to what was clearly some kind of revenge.

In the end, Danny was really just dealing with himself; just more powerful, smarter, older, and absolutely psychotic.

_TheColorsofSand_

_I generally dislike author's notes, but if this story turns out as long as I predict, we're going to develop a relationship you and I, so I should let you all get to know me._

_I like reviews, they make me happy, I even like criticism and insults if anyone feels the need. Please point out mistakes if you see them and I'll either explain myself or fix the problem._

_Please tune in for the next chapter which will hopefully not take too long. _


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